Dictionary

democracy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

/dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
[dəˈmɔ̟k.ɹə.si] (New-Zealand)
/dɪˈmɑ.kɹə.si/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
/dɪˈmɔk.ɹə.si/ (Australia)
(New-Jersey) audio
(Southern-England) audio
/dəˈmɒk.ɹə.si/ (New-Zealand)
/dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle French democratie (French démocratie), from Medieval Latin dēmocratia, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā). By surface analysis, demo- (“people”) + -cracy (“rule”).

Meanings

(uncountable) Rule by the people, especially as a form of government, such as
- Everyone who wanted to speak did so. It was democracy in its purest form. 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 24:
- “If you have rule of the bureaucrat — if the bureaucracy is in charge, then what meaning does democracy actually have?” Musk said during his 30-minute appearance with Trump, where he rebuffed critics who said he’s the one undermining democratic institutions. 2025 February 14, Marshall Cohen, “The almighty Musk: How the world’s richest man became Washington’s most powerful bureaucrat”, in CNN, archived from the original on 04 Jul 2025:
- On this day in 1977, Taiwan witnessed a watershed moment in its march to democracy: the Chungli Incident. Violence broke out on the night of the largest-yet elections in the country’s history. Some 10,000 people took to the streets in protest following reports of election fraud on the part of the ruling Kuomintang. 2017 November 19, “Today in History”, in Radio Taiwan International, archived from the original on 10 Sep 2022:
- The period, that is, which marks the transition from absolutism or aristocracy to democracy will mark also the transition from absolutist or autocratic methods of nomination to democratic methods. 1901, The American Historical Review, American Historical Association, page 260:
- A century ago there was in the Old World only one tiny spot in which the working of democracy could be studied. A few of the ancient rural cantons of Switzerland had recovered their freedom after the fall of Napoleon, and were governing themselves as they had done from the earlier Middle Ages[...]. Nowhere else in Europe did the people rule. 1921, James Bryce Bryce, Modern Democracies, The Macmillan Company, page 1:
- And the essential value and power of Democracy consists in this,—that it combines, as far as possible, power and organization ; THE SPIRIT, MANHOOD, is at one with THE BODY, ORGANIZATION. [....] Democracy is Government by the People. 1866, J. Arthur Partridge, On Democracy, Trübner & Co., page 2:
(countable, uncountable) Rule by the people, especially as a form of government, such as: ▸ A form of government where the people elect representatives who propose and approve laws and administer the government on their behalf (representative democracy).
(countable, uncountable) Rule by the people, especially as a form of government, such as: ▸ A form of government where the people vote directly on laws and government decisions (direct democracy).
(countable) A government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.
- In 1900 not a single country had what we would today consider a democracy: a government created by elections in which every adult citizen could vote. 2003, Fareed Zakaria, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad, W. W. Norton & Company, page 13:
- Since the wisest and most moral would not necessarily be the choice of the majority of people, Plato's Republic is not a democracy. 1975, Robin Palmer, A Dictionary of Mythical Places, Henry Z. Walck, page 84:
- Of course, the Russians think it is something else because they say the Russians have a democracy and it is plain that their government is not what the Americans regard as a democracy. 1947 March 16, Edwin L. James, “General Marshall Raises the Ideological Issue”, in The New York Times:
(countable) A state with a democratic system of government.
- Israel is not a democracy, as these elections proved once again. Democracy is the rule of the people, not the rule of one people over another. 2019 April 28, Hagai El-Ad, “What kind of democracy deports human rights workers?”, in Yoni Molad, transl., +972 Magazine, archived from the original on 28 Oct 2022:
- Some countries which were originally monarchies, like the UK, have maintained their status as monarchies whilst also becoming democracies in the modern era; others, like France, completely disposed of their monarchies when they became democracies.
- The United States was founded as a republic, not a democracy. 2018 March, Yascha Mounk, “America Is Not a Democracy”, in The Atlantic:
- After almost four decades of authoritarian rule, South Africa became a democracy in April 1994. 2002, Victor G. Hilliard, “The Role of Human Resource Development in South African Public Service Reform”, in Administrative Reform in Developing Nations, Praeger, page 179:
- Biden led a virtual summit event in Washington focused on democracy delivering on global challenges, calling on democracies to continue to stand together amid global challenges. 2023 March 29, Donald Judd, Maegan Vazquez, “Efforts to strengthen the world’s democracies are working, Biden says”, in CNN, archived from the original on 26 Apr 2023:
(uncountable) Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy".
- The spirit of democracy means, above all, liberty of choice for human beings... democracy, in both its individual and collective forms, is the main engine of the eternal human striving for justice and prosperity. 1996, Petre Roman, The Spirit of Democracy and the Fabric of NATO - The New European Democracies and NATO Enlargement, page 1:
- As states of the human spirit democracy, righteousness, and faith have much in common and may be cultivated by the same means... 1918, Charles Horton Cooley, “A Primary Culture for Democracy”, in Publications of the American Sociological Society 13, page 8:
- It must further be admitted that he provided a successful interpretation of democracy in its philosophic aspects when he conceived democracy as a general outlook on the universe... In Bakunin's conception of democracy as religious in character we trace the influence of French socialism. 1919, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, The Spirit of Russia: Studies in History, Literature and Philosophy, Macmillan, page 446:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
democracies	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Coordinates

dictatorship (a form of government) · monarchy (a form of government) · aristocracy (a form of government)

Translations (285)

pi pajādhipateyya (rule by the people) · ceb demokrasya (government under the rule of its people) · sgs demuokratėjė (government under the rule of its people) · cmn 民主 (government under the rule of its people) · pt democracia (government under the rule of its people) · ky демократия (rule by the people) · pa ਲੋਕਰਾਜ (rule by the people) · es democracia (government under the rule of its people) · srn demokrâsia (rule by the people) · io demokratio (rule by the people) · tl demokrasya (government under the rule of its people) · nb folkestyre (government under the rule of its people) · kw gwerinieth (rule by the people) · mn ардчилал (rule by the people) · bg демокра́ция (government under the rule of its people) · tg мардумсолорӣ (rule by the people) · fa-ira مَرْدُمسالاری (government under the rule of its people) · sk demokracia (rule by the people) · sh demokrátija (government under the rule of its people) · ga daonlathas (government under the rule of its people) · kmr demokrasî (rule by the people) · my ဒီမိုကရေစီ (rule by the people) · kk халық билігі (rule by the people) · sl demokracija (government under the rule of its people) · rup dimucrãtsie (rule by the people) · vi dân chủ (government under the rule of its people) · rup dimucratsia (government under the rule of its people) · sq demokraci (rule by the people) · oc democracia (rule by the people) · lo ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ (rule by the people) · rue демокра́ція (rule by the people) · sh demokrácija (government under the rule of its people) · bg народовла́стие (rule by the people) · da demokrati (government under the rule of its people) · rup dimucratsie (rule by the people) · pa ਜਮਹੂਰੀਅਤ (rule by the people) · el δημοκρατία (government under the rule of its people) · srn demokrâsia (government under the rule of its people) · fi demokratia (government under the rule of its people) · ko 민주 (rule by the people) · de Demokratie (rule by the people) · sco democracie (rule by the people) · it democrazia (government under the rule of its people) · ur جَمْہُورِیَت (government under the rule of its people) · ug دېموكراتىيە (rule by the people) · bn গণতন্ত্র (rule by the people) · mt demokrazija (rule by the people) · ko 민주주의 (rule by the people) · nrf démocratie (government under the rule of its people) · sw demokrasia (rule by the people) · mos nin-bui-naam (rule by the people) · ast democracia (rule by the people) · ml ജനാധിപത്യം (government under the rule of its people) · ne प्रजातन्त्र (rule by the people) · uk народовла́ддя (rule by the people) · eo demokratio (rule by the people) · kmr demokrasî (government under the rule of its people) · ta ஜனநாயகம் (government under the rule of its people) · mel demokrasi (rule by the people) · fi demokratia (rule by the people) · be народаўла́ддзе (rule by the people) · an democrazia (government under the rule of its people) · id demokrasi (rule by the people) · lad demokrasia (rule by the people) · rup dimucratsii (rule by the people) · se álbmotstivra (rule by the people) · hi लोकतंत्र (rule by the people) · cs demokracie (government under the rule of its people) · bua арадшалал (rule by the people) · ga daonlathas (rule by the people) · el δημοκρατία (rule by the people) · ko 민주 (government under the rule of its people) · ru демокра́тия (government under the rule of its people) · pl ludowładztwo (rule by the people) · hi लोकशाही (rule by the people) · ar دِيمُقْرَاطِيَّة (government under the rule of its people) · rup dimucrãtsii (government under the rule of its people) · hi प्रजातंत्र (rule by the people) · az demokrasi (government under the rule of its people) · ta மக்களாட்சி (government under the rule of its people) · fo fólkaræði (rule by the people) · si ප්රජාතන්ත්රවාදය (rule by the people) · rup dimucrãtsie (government under the rule of its people) · ka დემოკრატია (rule by the people) · sq demokracia (government under the rule of its people) · tr el erki (rule by the people) · lij democraçîa (rule by the people) · nl democratie (government under the rule of its people) · grc δημοκρατία (rule by the people) · se álbmotváldi (rule by the people) · se álbmotstivra (government under the rule of its people) · sw demokrasia (government under the rule of its people) · ast democracia (government under the rule of its people) · ps ډېموکراسي (rule by the people) · nb demokrati (rule by the people) · ug خەلقچىلىق (rule by the people) · af demokrasie (government under the rule of its people) · lv demokrātija (rule by the people) · nl democratie (rule by the people) · se álbmotváldi (government under the rule of its people) · ba демократия (government under the rule of its people) · rup dimucrãtsia (rule by the people) · ur لوک شاہی (rule by the people) · pl demokracja (government under the rule of its people) · ms demokrasi (government under the rule of its people) · tt демократия (rule by the people) · cy democratiaeth (government under the rule of its people) · uz xalq hokimiyati (rule by the people) · ps ولسواله (rule by the people) · sa लोकतंत्र (rule by the people) · sv demokrati (rule by the people) · bn গণতন্ত্র (government under the rule of its people) · ha dimokuraɗiyya (government under the rule of its people) · cy democratiaeth (rule by the people) · eu demokrazia (rule by the people) · ja 民主主義 (government under the rule of its people) · se demokratiija (government under the rule of its people) · sh demokrátija (rule by the people) · sv folkstyre (rule by the people) · nn demokrati (rule by the people) · ta ஜனநாயகம் (rule by the people) · hi जम्हूरियत (rule by the people) · rup dimucrãtsia (government under the rule of its people) · de Volksherrschaft (rule by the people) · gl democracia (rule by the people) · ur جَمْہُورِیَت (rule by the people) · bg демокра́ция (rule by the people) · az demokrasi (rule by the people) · hy ժողովրդավարություն (rule by the people) · kl demokrati (rule by the people) · gd daonfhlaitheas (government under the rule of its people) · sh демокра́тија (government under the rule of its people) · cv демократи (rule by the people) · lv demokrātija (government under the rule of its people) · vo demokrat (rule by the people) · fa-ira دِموکْراسی (rule by the people) · vi dân chủ (rule by the people) · ps ولسواکي (rule by the people) · ha dimokuraɗiyya (rule by the people) · tk demokratiýa (rule by the people) · ro democrație (rule by the people) · xal демократь (rule by the people) · rup dimucratsia (rule by the people) · ksw ဒံၣ်မိၣ်ခြ့ၣ်စံၣ် (rule by the people) · shn တီႇမူဝ်ႇၶရေႇသီႇ (rule by the people) · rsk демократия (rule by the people) · sq demokraci (government under the rule of its people) · ht demokrasi (government under the rule of its people) · hu demokrácia (rule by the people) · th ประชาธิปไตย (rule by the people) · uk демокра́тія (rule by the people) · af demokrasie (rule by the people) · nn folkestyre (government under the rule of its people) · am ዴሞክራሲ (rule by the people) · ja 民主 (rule by the people) · fa-ira دِموکْراسی (government under the rule of its people) · ca democràcia (government under the rule of its people) · la imperium populī (rule by the people) · cmn 民主 (rule by the people) · sh demokrácija (rule by the people) · scn dimucrazzìa (government under the rule of its people) · ti ደሞክራሲ (rule by the people) · ba демократия (rule by the people) · ar دِيمُقْرَاطِيَّة (rule by the people) · kn ಪ್ರಜಾಪ್ರಭುತ್ವ (rule by the people) · mr लोकशाही (rule by the people) · la imperium populī (government under the rule of its people) · az demokratiya (government under the rule of its people) · se demokratiija (rule by the people) · cmn 民主主義 /民主主义 (rule by the people) · la dēmocratia (rule by the people) · mi kāwanatanga manapori (government under the rule of its people) · fr démocratie (rule by the people) · mr लोकशाही (government under the rule of its people) · is lýðræði (rule by the people) · tzm ⵜⵓⴳⴷⵓⵜ (rule by the people) · et demokraatia (rule by the people) · ce демократи (rule by the people) · de Demokratie (government under the rule of its people) · tg демукросӣ (rule by the people) · sh демокра́ција (rule by the people) · tk halkçylyk (rule by the people) · as গণতন্ত্ৰ (rule by the people) · br demokratelezh (government under the rule of its people) · gd sluagh-fhlaitheas (government under the rule of its people) · fi kansanvalta (rule by the people) · sh демокра́тија (rule by the people) · ne लोकतन्त्र (rule by the people) · pl demokracja (rule by the people) · or ଗଣତନ୍ତ୍ର (rule by the people) · rup dimucratsii (government under the rule of its people) · da demokrati (rule by the people) · gu પ્રજાતંત્ર (rule by the people) · sq demokracia (rule by the people) · crh demokratiya (rule by the people) · lt demokratija (government under the rule of its people) · hu demokrácia (government under the rule of its people) · hy դեմոկրատիա (government under the rule of its people) · ko 데모크라시 (rule by the people) · nrf démocratie (rule by the people) · tk demokratsiýa (rule by the people) · bo དམངས་གཙོའི་རིང་ལུགས (rule by the people) · hy դեմոկրատիա (rule by the people) · fr démocratie (government under the rule of its people) · it democrazia (rule by the people) · tl madlakasan (rule by the people) · ru народовла́стие (rule by the people) · yue 民主主義 /民主主义 (rule by the people) · dv ޑިމޮކްރަސީ (rule by the people) · din agɛmkɔckedhiɛ (rule by the people) · be дэмакра́тыя (government under the rule of its people) · he דֵּמוֹקְרַטְיָה (government under the rule of its people) · ka დემოკრატია (government under the rule of its people) · grc δημοκρατία (government under the rule of its people) · bua демократи (rule by the people) · cmn 得莫克拉西 (rule by the people) · fa-ira مَرْدُمسالاری (rule by the people) · ru демокра́тия (rule by the people) · kk демократия (rule by the people) · st demokrasi (rule by the people) · id demokrasi (government under the rule of its people) · te ప్రజాస్వామ్యం (rule by the people) · la dēmocratia (government under the rule of its people) · hi लोकतंत्र (government under the rule of its people) · az demokratiya (rule by the people) · pt democracia (rule by the people) · yi דעמאָקראַציע (rule by the people) · dv ޑިމޮކްރަސީ (government under the rule of its people) · nb folkestyre (rule by the people) · ur لوک شاہی (government under the rule of its people) · nn folkestyre (rule by the people) · he דֵּמוֹקְרַטְיָה (rule by the people) · kw demokratieth (rule by the people) · hi जनतंत्र (rule by the people) · ja デモクラシー (rule by the people) · lt demokratija (rule by the people) · sh демокра́ција (government under the rule of its people) · ml ജനാധിപത്യം (rule by the people) · ja 民主主義 (rule by the people) · uk демокра́тія (government under the rule of its people) · tr demokrasi (rule by the people) · za minzcuj (rule by the people) · nb demokrati (government under the rule of its people) · yue 民主 (rule by the people) · rup dimucrãtsii (rule by the people) · ko 민주 정체 (government under the rule of its people) · nn demokrati (government under the rule of its people) · et demokraatia (government under the rule of its people) · mn ᠠᠷᠠᠳᠴᠢᠯᠠᠯ (rule by the people) · rsk демократия (government under the rule of its people) · ti ዲሞክራሲ (rule by the people) · sv demokrati (government under the rule of its people) · ckb دیموکراتیەت (rule by the people) · gd daonfhlaitheas (rule by the people) · uz demokratiya (rule by the people) · arz ديموقراطية (government under the rule of its people) · ps دموکراسي (rule by the people) · rup dimucratsie (government under the rule of its people) · sl demokracija (rule by the people) · ca democràcia (rule by the people) · es democracia (rule by the people) · gv deynlaght (rule by the people) · gu લોકશાહી (rule by the people) · shn တီႇမူဝ်ႇၶရေႇသီႇ (government under the rule of its people) · tg демократия (rule by the people) · te ప్రజాస్వామ్యం (government under the rule of its people) · ro democrație (government under the rule of its people) · cs demokracie (rule by the people) · be дэмакра́тыя (rule by the people) · pi lokādhipateyya (rule by the people) · mt demokrazija (government under the rule of its people) · ja 民主 (government under the rule of its people) · eo demokratio (government under the rule of its people) · ta மக்களாட்சி (rule by the people) · eo demokratia ŝtatformo (government under the rule of its people) · is lýðræði (government under the rule of its people) · ms demokrasi (rule by the people) · km ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ (rule by the people) · mk демокра́тија (rule by the people) · ky элбийлик (rule by the people) · so dimoqraadi (rule by the people) · tl demokrasya (rule by the people) · mk демокра́тија (government under the rule of its people) · hy ժողովրդավարություն (government under the rule of its people) · xal демократь (government under the rule of its people)

democracy en · NOUN

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Translations (285)